


Entwined

by Mosstar



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: AU, Excessive computer hacking, F/M, I'm going to call this a Meta AU, M/M, Swearing, There are nods to other fics in this fic, Vague omnipotency, Vaguely mentioned characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2016-04-29
Packaged: 2018-05-08 00:46:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5476910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mosstar/pseuds/Mosstar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are thousands of universes where two people find and lose each other. It's an endless cycle of meetings and outcomes. Very few possess awareness of this and can see into those lives. Those who do are often driven mad.<br/>Sora is one of those people. </p><p>(Inspired loosely by the game Entwined.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Act One

**Author's Note:**

> Here's the first half of a fic I've been working on for quite some time ever since I played that damn good and heavily symbolic game. I hope you enjoy it.  
> There are references to other fics/AUs in here and I just want to do an early disclaimer that I am in no way intending to disrespect the creators whose creations I refer to. I actually consider them very important to me. I recommend them to anyone who reads this fic.  
> There are nine parts in this story to mimic the nine lives in Entwined. The part names are rearranged but taken from the trophy titles of the game.

** Part One: Innocence **

**_Same sky, different destinies._ **

 

       Sora's first dream is when he's barely 8.

 

       An island surrounded by water that could not keep the winds of change away. Of friends and weapons called "keyblades" that cause and continue wars but can end them, too. Promises, secrets, and reforging bonds through hardship until they're unbreakable. Disney characters that Sora has seen in movies live and breathe in this story. Sora doesn't realize that this dream will continue to be the clearest he remembers. Two best friends that he would travel the ends of the worlds for. One with silver hair that won't disappear from his mind.

 

He doesn't think much about it, until that dream picks up where it left off a month later.

       In the morning Sora's alarm wakes him. Glimpses of shadows lurk around the corner. Light shines in his eyes. He holds out his hand to tell himself that nothing will come. Nothing does, and the lurking shadows fade. Left behind are the powder blue walls of his room covered with posters of dinosaurs and drawings from art class. His closet door is shut just as it should be. Sora hops out of bed and dresses himself in his school uniform. It's back pants and a black polo. His sneakers are velcro because he hasn't quite gotten the hang of typing laces yet. Sora uses his fingers to brush his hair and brushes his teeth. He walks to the kitchen after he uses the bathroom.

       The kitchen has a round table off to one side and the cooking area to the other. The walls are white with brown curtains accenting the window that overlooks the main road. Rinoa is at the stove cooking. Her suit jacket is hung on a nearby chair and her dress shirt sleeves are pushed to her elbows. Sora notices her hair is pinned up today. Her earrings glimmer in the light.

"Mom, do you have dreams like cartoons?" Sora rubs at his eyes. He leans against the edge of the counter. His hair is still in disarray from lack of proper brushing.

"Hmm? Like cartoons? What do you mean?" Rinoa flips the pancakes in the pan. She glances at Sora and raises her eyebrow.

"It's the same dream, only, like, you put it down until next week." Rinoa falls silent. Then she hums and nods.

"I have them sometimes."

"Do they mean stuff?" Rinoa places the spatula down and wipes her hands on the apron in front of her skirt. She cradles Sora's cheek with her hand.

"No, honey. I don't think so. It sometimes means that you really wanted to see what happens next in the dream. Breakfast is almost ready. Could you go wake your father? I have to be at work in half an hour so he needs to take you to school."

       Sora smiles and he laughs. Sora sprints off. He sneaks into his parent's room. The king sized bed in the center of the tan room has most of the blankets pulled into one pile. Squall groans as Sora jumps on the bed.

"Dad! Da-d! it's breakfast time! Mom says you gotta take me to school today."

"I thought it was Sunday." Squall opens an eye to stare at Sora.

"Nope. Monday. C'mon. Mom made pancakes!" Sora prods at Squall's shoulders until he sits up.

"Let's brush your hair first. Keep avoiding that and your hair will stick up permanently."

 

The town in Georgia that Sora lives in is small but near a larger city. There's a small peach farm close by and the closest school is a thirty minute drive away. Rinoa's job is even farther.

 

       The dream continues half a month later. Sora panics and wakes up in the middle of the night. He cries over a friend he's never met for making choices that he knows he'll regret.

Sora crawls into his parents' bed. His eyes are red and he sniffles. Squall groans as Sora's hand presses down on his knee.

"Oops. Sorry." Sora whispers. His voice is shaky and his skin crawls with goosebumps. Rinoa shifts in her sleep. She exhales.

"Sora? What's wrong?" Squall mumbles.

"Bad dream. Can I sleep with you?"

"Sure. Just don't wake your mother. She has a meeting tomorrow."

"Okay." Sora crawls under the covers between his parents and closes his eyes. Squall's breathing evens out and Sora drifts to sleep.

 

       The dreaming grows frequent. It's a small change then steadily increases. Sora's journal he keeps under his mattress becomes filled with crude drawings and phrases. He writes in it when he wakes up rather than when he goes to sleep so he can record what he can remember before it's gone. Sora has been dreaming the same dream for six months. He tries to ignore the tugs he feels when he sees people that feel familiar. It's hard to tell himself that his home isn't on an Island and the island isn't destroyed.

 

       Sora thinks he sees a girl that looks like the red-headed friend, Kairi, during a field trip to a science museum. He slips away from the chaperoned group to follow her. Past groups of perplexed adults he catches a glimpse of her. The red hair flickers in Sora's vision until he sees a blonde girl that he can't recognize.

Sora feels a hand grasp his shoulder and he panics until he looks up as his dad's frowning face.

"Sora, I told you not to run off." Squall holds out his hand to Sora.

"Sorry, dad." Sora grasps his father's hand as they return to the group unnoticed.

       That night Sora dreams about a girl who looks like the one he saw. Naminé, a girl with powers. A white castle looms around him. People with black cloaks threaten her. He needs to save her. When morning comes Sora shivers at the sight of the sunrise. It feels wrong.

 

       Two months later Sora gets the courage to tell his friend in class what he can remember about his strange dreams. Sora turns red when he notices he's being laughed at. The other students pay no mind and stay absorbed in their own conversations.

"You're too much of a chicken to be a hero. What makes you think it's real?"

"No. No. Not like -now- real but like, a different real." Sora waves his arms about to keep his friend's attention.

"Like history? I hate history."

"Not like history. Maybe, but not here. Like, another place that we can't see."

"Mom says only crazy people see things other people can't see." Sora's friend starts to avoid him afterwards. He never tells Sora why. He decides to not tell anyone else about the dreams that he sees so often.

 

       At the end of Elementary Sora's first dream comes to a sudden close. He jerks awake in his bed in silence. Sweat covers his skin and sticks his hair to his face as he becomes aware of his surroundings. His pupils dilate. Sora feels his heart skip beats. He can't remember what happened in the dream. Grasping for images leaves him empty.

Sora's second journal remains unfinished.

 

** Part Two: Exploration **

 

       Through Middle School he dreams of a war with bombs dropping. A computer system that houses orphans. A lot of it is beyond his understanding, but he sees the two best friends again. They're equally important to him and he wouldn't give up either of them.

 

       Sora writes what he can remember in his fourth journal and he forgets to put it away after breakfast on the final day of eighth grade. Sora returns home to find Squall on the couch with the journal. The living room is too cramped for Sora.

"Sora, you say you've been dreaming these things? The stuff you're writing- in your journal?" Squall taps the hard cover of the journal. The noise hits hard against Sora's ears and his heart rate speeds up.

"Yeah. Wait, you went through my journal?" Sora grows defensive.

"No. I just saw what was on the page you left open. Sit down before you hyperventilate. You're not in trouble." Squall pats the couch cushion next to him. Sora keeps his head low as he sits down. "You've been dreaming, all this? The journal's almost full and we bought it last month. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really. They're just dreams, that's all." Sora rubs his hands together and stares at is fingers.

"Sometimes dreams can mean something more. They can be hidden emotions or memories that have been buried." Squall leans back against the couch. He closes his eyes. Sora glances about the room hoping to make sense of Squall's words. He picks at the lint stuck to his pants.

"Memories? What if- they aren't my own?"

"It's possible that you were told things that got in your dreams."

"But they're always so real- there's a lot of dark stuff in them. Most of it I can't remember. That's why I write it down while I do remember, so it isn't gone forever." Squall sighs. He ruffles Sora's hair.

"Just because something bad happens doesn't mean something's wrong with you. I had a dream once where I was forced to kill your mother. It doesn't make it real or make me bad."

"Does mom know about the dream?"

"Yes. I had it when Rinoa and I were younger, before we ever formally met. I couldn’t tell her until years after, but I told her."

"She's not afraid of you? She doesn't think it's weird?"

"No one can control every dream, Sora. Don't let the thought that you can eat away at you." Squall passes the journal to Sora and leaves the room. Sora grips the journal tight in his fingers. He brings it to his lips and stares at the wall.

"Memories that aren't my own- but are. Maybe they mean something. Maybe I'm not smart enough to understand."

 

       One month later Sora still doesn't know what the dreams mean. He doesn't feel any closer to the answer. He's sitting at the kitchen table on his phone and watching his mother prepare breakfast. The phone rings and Rinoa answers it. Sora doesn't pay too much attention to the conversation. His 2048 score is on the line. As he plays he sticks his tongue out at the corner of his mouth whenever he thinks hard about a move.

"That's great. I'll be sure to tell him. Take care of yourself." Rinoa hangs up the phone. Sora swipes more tiles around but glances up when his father walks into the room. "Perfect timing! Cloud just called and said he got a job offer nearby. He and Roxas are going to be moving to the city next month."

      Squall stops walking and stares at Rinoa.

"I haven't had enough coffee yet for this. Has he already found a place?" Squall returns to getting his morning coffee.

"He's also filed for Roxas to transfer to Sora's school."

"That's so cool! I'm gonna go to high school with Roxas." Sora sets his phone down. He high fives himself before returning to his game.

"Yup. He's going to need all the friendship you can give since he'll be leaving a lot behind. Can you do that for me?" Rinoa pours herself a glass of orange juice and takes a sip.

"I think I can handle it." Sora lines up two more tiles and doesn't look up.

 

       Roxas has headphones on when he arrives at Sora's house with his Father. He types on his phone faster than Sora can. Seeing Roxas brings sudden images of black cloaks and the feelings of pain and hope. He hears phrases overlap in his head of Roxas's voice before Roxas even speaks. _"There are so many hearts that are connected to yours." "you're leaving me here?" "It has to be you."_ Roxas's clothes is monochromatic except for red stripes on his sneakers.

"Nice to see ya again Roxas! It feels like it's been forever." Sora pats Roxas on the shoulder and the blond's headphones shift.

"It's actually been six years. But I guess it's nice to see you too." Roxas doesn't look up from his phone. He adjusts his headphones. Sora peers at the phone screen. Roxas moves it out of view.

"What're you typing?"

"Skype chat with my friends." Roxas mutters.

"Oh, okay." Sora's shoulders droop.

       Cloud is as intimidating as he was when Sora was younger. Muscled arms and all black clothing that gives the impression of Cloud being a threatening person. His pierced ears make Sora subconsciously pull at his own lobes and dread the feeling of a needle piercing them. The air between Sora and Roxas stays heavy as the parents talk in the living room.

"So you wanna check out my room? I have a tv and games."

"I guess." Sora leads Roxas to his room. He opens the game cupboard and motions to them. Roxas stares at the posters littering Sora's walls before turning his attention to the game cupboard.

"Your pick." Sora comments. Roxas slides his phone into his pocket and picks a game.

       During the gaming Sora attempts small talk. He learns more about how Roxas's life has been since they last met and learns that Roxas likes computer software. He wants to be a professional hacker.

"That's so badass, Rox."

"If that's what you want to call it. Breaking into someone's system without getting in trouble and get paid to do it? I'm on board." Roxas doesn't look at his phone until he's heading to the new apartment with his father.

 

       The second dream trickles to an end. The duration shortens and the images become blurrier. The final time he dreams it he wakes up in the morning crying and feeling loved. Sora finishes the fourth journal and places it with the others in his desk drawer.

 

** Part Three: Ambition **

 

       Freshman year Sora dreams of a high school where Riku's family is rich and Sora's isn't. Where while things can be sad and some people are jerks no one really dies. Kairi is still there and has someone of her own.

 

       When high school starts Sora is restless. Thoughts of Riku pull at his mind until he focuses on the smaller details of his dreams in an attempt to burn the image of Riku into his mind. In Algebra class there's a girl with red hair with an uneven cut. Her name's Kairi and she tells Sora that he feels like someone she knows. She exchanges skype information with him.

Riku's image is still missing from the picture. Sora has to find him.

 

       Kairi's presence becomes soothing. The ragged edges of Sora's mind are guarded by her voice and her presence. When he looks at her he sees flashes of the island and feels pride. He hears vague phrases that overlap of promises and light. In only one week Sora's hands don't shake when he writes. She feels like she's always belonged beside Sora and has finally slid back into the place she's been missing from. It's on Friday that he realizes what the dreams are.

 

       Sora and Roxas are in Sora's room on the weekend after school started. A new poster has been taped up on the back of Sora's door from a recent trip to the mall in the city. Roxas is sitting on the bed taking off his shoes

"Roxas, I'm going to tell you something that pretty much no one knows about. You can't laugh okay?"

"Sure. I'll just laugh on the inside if it'll make you feel better."

"These are records of the things I've been dreaming about."

       Sora pulls his journals from his desk. He places them in Roxas's lap. Roxas opens one of them and glances through the pages.

"A dream diary? I have one, too. I just don't write in it often."

"I think they're stronger than just dreams, Rox. Like they're lives that I've lived in other universes. There are so many people I meet that I've seen in my dreams before ever meeting them in person. It can't be coincidence. I've been telling myself it is for so long but after meeting Kairi- I can't ignore it."

"So you're seeing into different universes? Like a psychic?"

"Maybe. I don't know. I need your help finding someone. His name is Riku. He'll have silver hair and blue eyes. Probably about a year older than me."

"What makes you think I can find this person any faster than you can?"

"You're training to be a hacker."

"Touché- but what you're asking is for me to hack into systems that I'm not allowed to go in." At Roxas's objection Sora kneels down in front of him. He clasps his hands together.

"Please, Roxas. I need to find him. It's like something's been missing. I've felt this way since I was eight."

       Frankly, Roxas thinks Sora is fucking crazy. He does it anyway, because Sora's offer of large IOUs and allowance money are too sweet to pass up. Roxas says he needs a few mnonths to prepare and spruce up his hacking skills. They plan to hack a different database each month once they begin because Roxas says they have lives to live.

 

       The fifth journal becomes filled with doodles more than events. Sora grows to understand what the pull towards Riku is and it scares him.

Love.

 

       Kairi becomes a light in Sora's life. She skypes him often. They text each other and pass notes in Algebra to the point where the teacher ceases to stop them. They become so close by the end of freshman year that the school whispers rumors of them dating. Sora teases Kairi about the thought one morning before class. Kairi taps him on the shoulder with her fist hard enough to hurt but not leave a mark.

"Come on, don't give in to the school's stupid "they must be in love" ritual. You and I both know that's not us. We have something different." Kairi chastises.

"You're right, and I like it. We don't have to be in a relationship to have what we do." Sora laughs.

The after school hangouts become longer afterwards. It helps Sora stay sane as month after month database hacks pull up either Rikus who aren't his Riku or no Rikus at all.

 

       The end of the dream is similar to his second one. It fades away slow. The fifth journal's last page has the sentence "the best one yet" written on it.

 

       Sophomore year arrives and he dreams of a different High School. Hockey gangs and misunderstood intentions. Tagged lockers that leave rumors throughout the school. These dreams leave him raw at the edges again faster than Kairi's presence can heal them properly.

 

       Kairi and Sora are on the benches at the school football field. Sora is waiting for his father to pick him up. The winter weather is beginning to set in and a cool breeze ruffles Sora's hair. Kairi's changed from her school clothes to a tank top and capris. Her bangs are held back by clips. Sora's still in the school uniform of dress shirt and pants.

"Sora, you seem so locked away these days. Is there something you want to tell me?"

"I've just got a lot on my mind, Kairi." Kairi groans. She leans back against the bench behind her and throws her arms into the air.

"So does everyone else. It doesn't mean you're not allowed to talk about it though."

"I don't think I can explain it to you in a way that won't make me sound out of my mind. I don't want to lose you, Kai. You're too important for that."

       Kairi slides along the bench closer to Sora. She fiddles with the clips to adjust her hair.

"You're important to me too, Sora. That's why I want you to feel comfortable enough around me to be able to tell me these things." Kairi kisses Sora on the cheek.

"I don’t think I'm ready just yet. Maybe someday."

"I'll wait for that time." Sora and Kairi don't break eye contact.

       There is a lump in Sora's throat that won't go away so he hugs Kairi instead of trying to remember how to breathe. Sora's phone rings and his hands shake as he checks the caller ID.

"That's my dad. Hang out tomorrow?"

"Sure thing. You’ve got your cousin tonight?" Kairi pulls her cellphone out of her bra to look at it.

"Yeah, or I'd invite you over now." Sora wipes his eyes before he grabs his bag. He waves to Kairi as he leaves.

 

       Roxas's database search of the month turns up empty.

"Hey, you know Kairi's friend? Xion?" Roxas asks before they fall asleep on Sora's bed.

"Yeah?" Sora rubs at his eyes.

"Can you, I don't know, introduce me to her during lunch sometime?"

"Sure thing. She's nice. I think she'll like you." Sora falls asleep hearing Roxas's breathing.

 

       The dream ends like a vase that had been shattered and glued back together. The ragged edges of Sora's mind soften. Sora fails to sum up the end of the dream and _"all in all is all we are"_ gets scrawled on the last page of the sixth journal.

He thinks of a carved tree and wonders if it's still there.

 

** Part Four: Liveliness **

 

       Junior year he dreams of college. A burning hate and a prank confession that turned out wrong. A love story marked with a flowering branch. Sora feels guilt more often than anything else. It gets inside of his head until he wonders if it's just the dream or it's his guilt, too.

       Sora and Roxas spend a weekend at Roxas's house in the city. It's louder than Sora's neighborhood and the air isn't as clean. The apartment is two bedroom one bath so Sora will be sleeping in Roxas's room. The walls of the apartment are white and the décor is varying shades of gray. The furniture shows signs of wear and tear. Cloud cooks dinner for them around five and Sora jokes that it's almost as good as his mom's.

"I- had a good teacher." Cloud comments. Roxas elbows Sora in the side.

"Ow, what was that for?" Sora whispers.

"It's a sensitive topic. Strife family secret." Sora drops the subject.

       The rest of the evening runs smooth until late at night in Roxas's bed. Sora thinks Roxas is asleep until he hears the blond whisper.

"Sora, I think I might be in love with Xion."

"Woah, really?"

"yeah. I can't get her out of my head." Sora's hit with uneasiness. He remembers something Xion had told him once.

"Cool."

 

       Sora tells Xion two weeks later about Roxas. She's apprehensive and bites her lower lip. Xion wears slap bracelets in neon colors to stand out from the dull school uniform. Her cupcake earrings match her necklace.

"Please, give him a chance. He doesn't usually put himself on a limb like this and he really likes you."

"I've seen it sometimes. I just don't want either of us getting hurt in the end."

"I know. I can't force you to do anything. I'm just pleading his case."

"Does he know you're doing this?"

"No."

"I can't make any promises, but I'll give him a chance."

 

       Sora guesses Xion accepts Roxas's confession in private because he sees them holding hands in the hallways three days later.

 

       Three months later the college dream ends. It fades like lightning and Sora's seventh journal isn't halfway filled. He sets it aside without a final note.

 

       Squall knocks on Sora's bedroom door after they return from the store. Sora's at his desk on his laptop. An unfinished essay glares from the screen about a book that Sora can't care less about.

"Sora?"

"Come in." At Sora's response Squall enters and closes the door behind himself. He's already changed into sweatpants and a t-shirt.

"You needed a new journal fast this time. Are your dreams getting worse?" Squall sits down on Sora's bed. He gazes about the room.

"Not really. It just felt wrong, writing more in that journal. It's hard to explain. I wish I could."

"Don't feel like you have to." Squall doesn't speak more to Sora. He just sits in the room looking at the walls covered in posters of superheroes and cartoon characters.

It's all Sora could have asked for.

 

       No other dream starts up. Sora worries that he might not see any more. It's the only way he can see Riku.

 

       New rumors mill around school of Kairi being a lesbian. Before Sora can jump to her defense Kairi climbs on top of their lunch table. Her skirt flips about from her movement and Sora's thankful for her sake that she wears shorts under it.

"Kairi get down. You're gonna get in trouble." Xion stammers. She tugs on Kairi's over the knee socks.

"Let her get this out of her system. I wish I could get away with this shit." Roxas mumbles into his sandwich. He glances about the cafeteria. No one's attention has been caught just yet.

       Kairi takes a deep breath and broadcasts her thoughts to the entire cafeteria. Heads turn like lightning.

"Even if I was a lesbian- who gives a fuck? If anyone's got a problem with me come say it to my face." Kairi pumps her fist in the air. Kairi gets applauded from some of the students.

       The security guards manage to convince Kairi to get off the table and let her off with a warning and a detention since she doesn't usually cause trouble. From the cafeteria door Kairi flashes a peace sign to Sora while the detention is being written up. Kairi waltzes back to the table after she shoves the folded up slip into her bra.

"I'm glad I got my point across. I sure don't hear anyone else muttering about me aside from being a brave bitch and I can live with that one." Kairi returns to her school lunch. She bites into her apple and laughs.

"My hero." Roxas fakes a swoon.

"That was crazy, Kai. What made you do that?" Sora stared wide-eyed.

"Verbally fight with one group. Then rinse and repeat for every gossipy group in the school? No. It takes less energy to tell everyone here at once. Besides, who'd be brave enough to fight me anyways? My big brother could beat up everyone in here."

"You mean the mythical big brother I've conveniently never met?" Sora teases.

"He doesn't go to this school, of course you haven't met him. I'm sure one day you will, if he ever decides to leave his college dorm." Kairi grins.

 

       The last day of Junior year Sora and Kairi celebrate the beginning of Summer Vacation with a good lunch. Kairi pulls Xion with them and Roxas tags along. Kairi has already shoved her uniform skirt into her bag for her bike shorts and took off her shirt to show her tank underneath. Sora has shed his school shirt for his new Marvel shirt. Roxas and Xion are still in uniform.

"I'm so glad that Summer's here. It's time to party." Kairi skips along the sidewalk.

"Yeah, party time!" Sora skips as well. Kairi grabs his hand and they time their skips to sync up.

"Partying sounds okay, I guess." Roxas rubs at his nose. He sneezes.

"Roxas, are you feeling okay? You've been sneezing all day." Xion pats Roxas's back.

       Roxas sneezes again. His nose is red and he's been walking slower than the rest of the group.

"I think I might be getting sick. Not sure yet." Roxas mumbles. Xion puts her hand on Roxas's forehead and gasps.

"Roxas! You're running a fever. Why did you come to school today?" Xion wags her finger at Roxas.

"Maybe we should take you home first. You look a lot more miserable than you did this morning." Sora comments.

"But I want to go to lunch with you guys." Roxas whines. He coughs right after.

"We can just reschedule! You shouldn't feel miserable on an outing like that. Would your dad be okay with company?" Sora asks.

"He's never minded before."

"Good. We'll spend time at your place then so if you start feeling worse we can just go home and let you rest. I'm not afraid of a little cold." Kairi decides.

       The group redirect their walk to Roxas's home. The apartment is large enough to not feel cramped with Xion, Kairi, and Sora there. Cloud throws a thermometer at Roxas and tells him to check his temperature. Roxas sticks the thermometer under his tongue and drops his bag by the door.

"A hundred degrees. Roxas, I didn't raise you to make stupid choices like this."

"Dad, it was early release and I didn't feel that bad this morning."

       Cloud frowns. He grunts and takes the thermometer back.

"Alright. Next time at least warn me by calling. I have some deliveries to make. I'll get some medicine and juice while I'm out. If you guys throw a party just clean up after yourselves." Cloud grabs his motorcycle keys and leaves the apartment.

       Roxas grabs the tv remote in the living room and turns on Netflix for some entertainment. Sora drops on the center of the couch and Xion and Kairi sit next to him. During their show binging Xion picks at the edges of her skirt.

"So Kairi, have you been thinking about going to prom?" Xion asks.

"Maybe. I doubt anyone would have the guts to ask me, so I'll probably go solo." Kairi nibbles on the cord of her necklace.

"You could go with me? Isn't it normal for friends to go to prom together?" Sora grabs the bowl of chips from the table. He shoves a handful into his mouth and licks the crumbs from his fingers.

"Do you want to make them think you're dating again?" Roxas objects. He's keeping himself at a safe distance from the couch on his arm chair.

"At that point whatever they think won't matter. We'll graduate and never see most of them again. What about you two?" Kairi swipes the chip bowl from Sora.

"I wouldn't mind going, if Roxas wants to that is."

"I'd love to." Roxas coughs. Sora's unsure if it's from being sick or hiding embarrassment.

 

       Summer passes without incident. The dreamless nights cause Sora to feel empty. Roxas texts Sora often. Usually he asks how Sora's feeling because he was "just wondering." Sora's eighth journal is still on top of his desk and untouched. There isn't even a title written on the front cover.

He's running out of time.

 

       Two months into senior year and Roxas is out of countries besides the U.S but he refuses to call it quits. He hacks into the DMVs of each state. One for each day. Sora watches and warns Roxas to go slow. He peers at the codes shift on the screen of Roxas's monitor.

"I'm fine. I've got this. The DMV databases are accessed so often I'll probably fly under the radar. I'm mimicking an official computer from the state when I do it. No way in hell they should catch me."

"Okay, Rox." Sora doesn't push the issue. He withdraws to the other computer chair and resumes observing the code fly past.

"Trust me, I have a good feeling about the states. It's the only place left but it's the damn likeliest for him to be if he's out there. We'll find him before you graduate or I'm going to refund you all those IOUS. If he's not on any database then it's gonna be too hard to find him."

 

       A week later, the authorities show up at Roxas's apartment. Sora overhears talking from the front door as he's getting water from the kitchen. He sneaks around the corner of the island.

"You say that these repeated hackings were traced back to my house? What exactly was being accessed?" Cloud sounds less skeptical and more suspicious.

       Sora's muscles tense. He slunks into Roxas's room and closes the door behind him. With his heart rate speeding up it's hard to get a proper breath.

"Sora, what're you doing? Didn't you say you were going to get water? Your hands are empty." Roxas eyes the brunet.

"Dude there's no time. We've been busted."

"You're shitting me." Sora stumbles to Roxas's desk and leans against it to steady himself.

"Hell no. There are cops outside talking to your dad right the fu-" "Roxas!" Cloud's yell cuts off Sora's statement.

"Shit." Roxas whispers.

"Yeah. I can't go to jail Rox I'm a straight B student I have to keep my grades going."

"If you keep your head on we might be able to get through this. Stay here." Roxas holds the power button on his computer.

       Sora watches Roxas exit the room. He presses his ear to the door and listens to Roxas's steps get further away. The talking is too muffled through the stained wood. Sora pulls the door open to look out and he holds his panic in. The cops are in the apartment speaking to Roxas. There's two of them. One middle aged man and a man who acts fresh out of police academy.

"We have a warrant to recover any computers within this household to search for evidence of the hacking activity that has been occurring. I'm sure you can understand hacking the DMV poses a significant risk." The older officer explains.

"I'm the only one with a computer in this house."

"Please show us where it is."

"I'm not comfortable with letting strangers into my room."

"Roxas for the love of Shiva just do it. Acting tough isn't going to help you right now." Cloud snaps.

       Roxas glances to the doorway and makes eye contact with Sora. His brows furrow and he mouths the word sorry.

"Fine. This way." Roxas leads the cops to his room. Sora steps out of the way and gives a small wave.

"Are you his brother?" The younger officer glances up and down Sora.

"Haha no. I'm kind of like a cousin." Sora's breathing skitters. His hands are shaking so he shoves them in his pockets.

       The older officer instructs Roxas to step aside from the computer.

"You're shaking an awful lot." The younger officer leans into Sora's gaze. The intimidation tactic works. Sora hiccups and his eyes water. He glances away from the officer and tries not to think about being arrested.

"I have a fear of authority figures." Sora isn't giving a full lie. He's not good enough at lying straight to someone's face.

"Help yourself, officer." Roxas waves the man off with his hand and stands near the doorway by Sora. The middle-aged officer instructs his partner to return with the transport boxes so they can load up the computer.

"If there isn't incriminating evidence on this computer I promise it will be returned to you in the condition we picked it up in."

"Yeah, sure." Roxas shrugs. His twitching fingers are what gives his nervousness away to Sora.

       Roxas and Sora meet eyes and they know they're fucked.

 

       Sora knows what's up when officers show at school on the way to lunch. He slouches and hides behind Kairi. The other students continue to walk down the hallway.

"What're you so scared of? You look like you got caught cheating on a test."

"Kai, Roxas and I have done something. It's not terrible- not really at least. But there are gonna be a lot of people who aren't happy. I think I'm gonna be gone a while."

"Gone? Sora, what did you do?" Kairi grasps the sleeve of Sora's jacket and tugs until he's face to face with her. Her face is scrunched up and her shoulders are tense.

       Sora doesn't meet Kairi's gaze.

"I've been looking for someone. Someone important. The only way we could do that was to check databases around the world because I have no clue where to find him. We were almost done. The last places to check were the state DMVs. We've been caught, Kai. Rox and I are probably gonna go to jail." When Sora continues to avoid Kairi's gaze she shoves at Sora's shoulders and slaps him on the arm.

"Who the hell could be so important that you'd destroy your life? That's a criminal record, Sora! How could you do this to yourself?" Tears form at the edges of Kairi's eyes.

"I needed to find him."

       The question of "who" lies silent in the air. Kairi stares at Sora as she clenches and unclenches her fists.

"Sora Leonhart and Roxas Strife, please report to the main office." The loudspeaker announces.

"That's me. Take care of yourself for now. I'll come back, I promise." Sora turns to head towards the office. Kairi grabs Sora's hand. He looks back and his tears blur his vision.

"I know." Kairi lets go and Sora feels like he's dreaming all over again.

 

       Roxas falls in step with Sora as he approaches the office.

"Sora, you know they can't take you for anything. Just because you were in my house it doesn't mean you knew what I was doing. Plead innocent."

"No. We're in this together because I'm the one who asked you to do this in the first place."

"We could always just run."

"Making it harder on us won't help us get out of this faster. What's our excuse? They won't buy that we were looking for one person we've never met."

"I wanted to test my hacking skills as training for my career because you dared me to. There's no mention of Riku anywhere on my computer so they probably don't know what we were doing hacking into the DMV."

       The two take deep breaths and enter the main office. They leave in handcuffs.

 

       Sora wishes he could forget how his mother cries when she shows up at the precinct with his father. Cloud doesn't speak at first. He stands in front of the chair that Roxas is sitting on and stares at his son. His name badge from the delivery work is still on his sweater. Roxas scowls and clenches his jaw. He looks at everyone but his father and twiddles his thumbs behind his back.

"Roxas." Roxas stares at the ceiling and ignores Cloud talking to him. "When you said you wanted to be a hacker I trusted you because you said you wanted to do it legally. That's the only reason I helped with your computer no matter how expensive it was. Now you go and do this. I'm not happy with you."

"Yeah, who isn't." Roxas huffs.

"I tried my best to raise you by myself. I've fought tooth and nail to keep you under my protection. Do you think Hayner would approve of your behavior? Or Pence? How about Olette?"

"We fell out of communication. I doubt they'd even care."

       Cloud leans over towards Roxas and he hisses something under his breath. Their conversation continues in whispers. Sora tunes them out to focus on his parents. Rinoa's tears subside. She frowns and clenches a hand into her jacket pocket. She's still in her work clothes and her hair is a mess. It's a stark contrast from Squall's jeans and t-shirt. Sora hiccups and forces a smile.

"What were you thinking?" Squall asks.

"I wasn't?"

"I doubt it. The dreams?"

"Kind of but not really. I haven't had one for months." Sora toes at the ground. His wrists hurt and his nose is running.

"You're still having those dreams?" Rinoa questions.

"Like I said, not for months."

Cloud and Roxas's argument grows loud enough to catch Sora's attention.

"You're lucky they haven't brought the F.B.I in just because you're both minors! If you had been caught just a few months from now I wouldn't be able to protect you."

"Protect me from what? I can't plead not guilty. They have all the proof they need from the logs on my computer."

       The conversation is cut short as the Probation Officer arrives. The case is set to be taken to Juvenile Court in two days and they are given permission to go home with their parents. Roxas and Sora don't speak during the car ride.

 

       When Cloud leaves Sora's house with Roxas he doesn't say goodbye. He pulls on his motorcycle helmet and tosses his spare to Roxas. Sora walks inside first. He retreats to his room and opens his journal drawer. The journals are in a messy pile with the last one on top. Tears hide in Sora's eyes.

"Riku. Why couldn't I find you? Do you not want me to?"

       The bedroom door is opened. Squall stares from the doorway with his arms crossed.

"Sora, give me the journals."

       Sora turns around. He closes the drawer with his hips and stays in front of it.

"Dad. Don't take them. Please."

"I'm not asking again."

"If I give these to you he's gone forever."

"He?"

"Riku. The friend I always dream about. We were trying to find him."

"Sora, there's a line between healthy and unhealthy dreaming and you've jumped into the deep end. Hand me the journals. I'm not getting rid of them, but I don't trust them in your care either."

"You promise?"

"Promise." Sqall keeps Sora's gaze.

       Sora gathers the journals in his hands. Each recorded life leaves a warmth radiating in his palms that remains after he passes them to Squall. They disappear behind the door.

 

** Part Five: Anxiety **

 

       The court is concerned by the felony that Roxas and Sora committed. The attorneys are able to keep them from being tried as adults, but they are each sentenced to a few months in a secure juvenile Detention facility that's more than three hours away and then a few more months in a low security adult facility once they turn eighteen. Their classes will be continued at the Juvenile facility's classrooms until they are transferred.

 

       They end up in different rooms at the Juvenile Facility. The walls are too clean and the guards are mean. The lights flicker sometimes. The uniforms are bright ad harsh on Sora's eyes. The classrooms are poorly maintained and the lessons are too basic and don't pick up from where Sora and Roxas had left off. The boy that Sora shares his room with keeps to himself and mutters under his breath about things that Sora has only ever dreamt about. Roxas's roommate not so much. Within the first month he gets into a fight that sends him to the infirmary for a large gash on his shoulder. After learning about what happened Sora learns to stay out of trouble and stay quiet. The injury doesn't heal right and leaves Roxas with a scar that races across his right shoulder. The months pass by until Roxas turns eighteen and is transferred from the facility. On the way out he grasps Sora's hand through the bars.

"See you in the big house, kid."

 

       Two months later Sora joins him. The adult facility isn't as clean as the Juvenile facility but the guards treat him a bit more like an adult. They got the luck that room assignments are shifted around enough for them to be able to room together in a four person cell. The two other inmates are brothers in their mid-twenties with the last name of Tribal. They squabble with each other daily and don't talk about why they were sentenced. It keeps them from bothering Sora and Roxas so they become grateful for that. The end of the first week becomes a blessing for Sora. He dreams that night. Of angels that serve as reapers to lead people into the afterlife. A prophet with a forbidden passion towards one. A priest with a deadly interest in the reaper's brother. The dream lasts for the end of his and Roxas's sentences. With no journal to record the dream in it soon fades from Sora's memory forever.

 

       The officer that keeps an eye on Roxas and Sora before they get picked up from the facility doesn't try to make small talk. It doesn't calm Sora's nerves but it doesn't make him more awkward than he already is. Sora and Roxas are in their clothing that had been returned to them. Sora's shoulders push at the seams a bit more than before. Both of their pants are a bit too short.

       The officer's hair is silver and feathers out in uneven layers. His front bangs are clipped out of his eyes by an aqua hairclip. Sora swears the aquamarine shade of the officer's eyes look familiar but he can't place where. The officer gets a call. His phone volume is loud and Sora catches snippets of the other side of the conversation. The voice on the other end is male with an anxious tone and little else noticeable. Sora leans forward in his seat and feels his breath catch in his throat. The calling that has been plaguing Sora's mind relieves its tension.

"Riku, the psychologists said your mother was safe again. Stop fucking calling me. I'm not in your state now and I could get in deep shit if I get wrapped up in your whiny problems again." The officer snarks at the other person on the line.

       Roxas elbows Sora and their eyes meet. Sora's stare is intense, and Roxas rolls his eyes. After the phone call, Sora remains silent. The pressure returns as fast as it had left. It's sharper than before.

       Squall and Cloud arrive at the station within the hour. Cloud is thinner and Squall has new lines at the corners of his eyes. Cloud's clothing is looser but still as black. Squall's wearing a jacket over his t-shirt.

"Your mother had to go in to work today. She wanted to be here." Squall comments.

"I know. Did you keep them safe?" Sora needs to know. It has tugged at him since they were taken.

"What?"

"The journals?"

"I have them hidden somewhere safe, yes." Squall ruffles Sora's hair.

       Sora breaks into tears. He clutches on to Squall's jacket and lets his frustration and fear out. Cloud eyes Roxas's stance. Roxas has become more standoffish and his stare is icy enough to rival Cloud's.

"You've changed." Cloud notes.

"So have you." Roxas retorts. He crosses his arms.

"I spent the better part of your sentence wondering if the next call would be from the morgue."

"I'd sooner get a buzzcut then see an early grave."

"Ain't that the truth." Cloud pulls Roxas into a short hug. He pats Roxas on the shoulder and breathes deep. "Don't scare me again."

"Can't promise anything."

 

       Once they exit Squall's car Sora glances at Roxas. Sora's eyes carry the same intense stare as during the call. Roxas explodes.

"Oh, hell no, Sora! I know that look! We've gotten in enough trouble already. We've searched entire continents over your stupid dreams and I'm not jumping further into a snake pit just because you heard the name Riku again." Roxas argues.

"Rox, I can feel it! It had to be him! That empty feeling I've been having, the intrusive thoughts and emotions, it was gone when I heard him speak!"

"You don't know what you heard, because I sure as hell don't. Sounded like a possible domestic abuse case that you should stay the fuck out of. Give up looking for him. It might have been "destiny" but it sure as fuck doesn't look like yours!" Roxas shoves Sora away from him.

       Sora slaps Roxas on instinct. His eyes widen and then narrow when Roxas glares.

"Asshole." Sora counters.

"Self-absorbed bitch." Roxas sneers.

"That's it!" Sora lunges at Roxas.

       They hit the ground hard and Roxas struggles in Sora's grip to get a hit in. Roxas pushes Sora over and pins him down. Sora headbutts Roxas to make him back up. The two brawl until Squall and Cloud pull them apart. They order the teens to settle down and it falls on deaf ears.

"You made me fucking miss Prom! I'll be lucky if Xion even speaks to me again you dick!" Roxas claws at Sora from behind Cloud's grip.

"I didn't "make you" miss shit! You're the one who decided hacking the fucking DMV day after day was a good idea! And you know what? Xion fucking went out with you because I asked her to! You spent all your time moping around and I figured you finally dating her would make you happy. But you know what? Just 'cause you're happy doesn't mean she is!" Sora lands a solid punch to Roxas's face. His lip splits.

"What the fuck? That's it, Leonhart. Don't fucking talk to me, look at me, or even think of me again! Have fun on your stupid ass witch hunt for a "soul mate" that doesn't exist! I'll be here, in the real world, where childish shit like that doesn't matter! I'm going home. Where I should have been last year." Roxas steps away from Cloud, picks up his bag, and walks to the motorcycle. He spits the blood from his mouth onto the ground. Squall lets Sora go.

"I'll call you later, Squall. I have to take Roxas home before the fighting continues." Cloud scowls.

"You used to fight just as much as him."

"Don't remind me."

       Sora fumes as he watches the motorcycle leave. He feels an emptiness bloom next to his need for Riku that shouldn't be there at all. Like it's another part of himself that has gone missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The stories/universes referenced to in this half are as follows in order:  
>  \- Original Kingdom Hearts universe  
>  \- The Unfamiliar by the.israel.project107 on fanfiction.net  
>  \- Squall's dream was based off of a headcanon/flashfic I read once. I can't seem to remember where I first saw it though since I saw it years ago.  
>  \- Mallverse!AU by Dakt37 on tumblr  
>  \- Boys by caseyvalhalla on AO3  
>  \- Advanced Theory by Dualism aka Dualshine on Fanfiction.net  
>  \- Angel's Fallacy by the.israel.project107 on fanfiction.net
> 
> I'm going to wait a bit before I post part 2. I hope you don't mind. Kudos and comments appreciated!


	2. Act Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He feels their pain because it's his, too. It's a pull towards the thought of synchronizing with someone so completely that once you feel it you can never feel whole again without them. The desire that can lead to desperation, even sacrificing yourself to keep that half alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day! I originally planned to post the work in two chapters but I couldn't get them all done before today. So here's parts six and seven. Enjoy!

** Part Six: Loneliness **

 

       Roxas doesn't talk to Sora. The new emptiness leaves Sora with the decision to drop the search for Riku. He falls into a state of apathy. His room looks the same as how he left it. A lot of his clothing doesn't fit him right anymore and his school uniforms remind him of what happened. The state issued G.E.D from his time in Juvie can give him access to college but it's just proof that he failed to keep his grades up. He hides the folder it's in under his mattress so he doesn't rip it in half.

 

       The dreams change. They become vague and horrible to where Sora can't make heads or tails of what occurs in any of them.

 

       It's late in the afternoon the day after Sora came home. The Leonhart household is far quieter than from what Sora remembers. Rinoa eases Sora's bedroom door open. Her hair is loose. She's in pants and a button up shirt. The lines at her eyes crinkle as she smiles at her son. Sora looks up from where he's curled up on his bed. His hair is knotted and he hasn't changed clothes yet.

"Sora, do you want to go to the mall to get some new clothes?"

       Sora grunts as he curls up tighter. Rinoa grasps the edges of her pants pockets and bites her lip. She clears her throat.

"The mall has changed quite a bit since you were last there. I'd love to spend time with you on my day off."

"I guess."

       Sora eases out of bed and pulls his fingers through his hair to untangle the worst knots. The free strands of hair droop instead of spiking like normal.

"Looks like we should get you a haircut at the same time."

       Rinoa's smile fades when Sora doesn't respond.

 

       That night Sora wakes up with his hands clasped over his mouth. He cries with his sheets pooled around his waist and his hands buried in his hair. Once the tears stop Sora splashes his face with water from his bathroom sink. He glances behind himself because he thinks he sees someone in the reflection of the mirror. The fear subsides when he confirms that no one is there. Sora locks his bedroom door. The darkness of night leaves Sora feeling weighed down.

 

       The town in Georgia that Sora lives in is small but near a larger, emptier city. The peach farm is losing business fast and the closest college is an hour and a half drive away. Rinoa's job is closer.

 

       One week later Sora still hasn't touched the internet aside from Netflix. He watches in silence with the volume on low and only leaves his room for food. The superhero posters on his walls have been rearranged multiple times. Small flakes of paint have come off the walls from the tape being relocate. Sora's in his boxers and a shirt. His fan is on high which rustles his hair as he pays minimal attention to a movie he missed. A motorcycle approaches the house from the sound of the engine that overpowers the movie. It shuts off. Not long after there is a knock on the door. The front door.

       Sora pauses his movie and creeps to his bedroom door. He presses his ear to the wood. He hears the creak of the front door's hinges as his father answers it.

"It's good to see you." Squall's tone is as close to relieved as Sora has ever heard it.

"I knew we would have to talk about this eventually. Running away won't help this time." It's Cloud.

"So instead you decided to put it off for a week. Come in."

       Sora listens to the front door close. From the groan of wood and rustle of fabric the two men have sat on the living room couch. Sora eases his door open to listen.

"Roxas has been acting out. I can't figure out what he's trying to tell me." Cloud is breathless.

"Acting out? Don't tell me he's doing what you did." Sora doesn’t remember ever hearing so much emotion from his father. Squall never lets himself sound so vulnerable when Sora's around.

"Sort of."

"Minus the gang violence?"

       Sora leans further out of his door. "Gang violence?" Sora whispers under his breath. Sora's feet are hyper-sensitive of the wood under them. He feels every dip and place where the board will wiggle and make noise if he puts too much pressure.

"You think I would be here with you if it was plus?" Cloud jokes. It's weak compared to how tired he sounds.

"Fair enough. What's he been doing?" Squall questions.

"Aside from deciding to sell what's left of his computer gear on Craigslist. Telling me he wants to become a hair stylist. Fuck, he tried to get in a fight with the mailman for being asked if his scar was from climbing a tree right after he told me he was fine. Has Sora been any better?"

"He hasn't been talking much and stays in his room. He's always been sensitive and nonaggressive. My best guess is he's trying to cope with what's happened. Rinoa has been thinking on taking him to a therapist since he won't talk to us."

"That won't help." Cloud's comment is blunt.

"Then what do you think?"

"Give him space. I'm willing to bet it's not him coping with having been in jail but with his view of the world changing. Sending him to a therapist might make him lock up worse."

"Dr. Rui helped you out in the end."

"She also had been involved so I didn't have to explain everything. Ground zero is always going to be a shaky subject."

"Which is why you still won't explain the rest of what happened."

       There is silence for almost a minute. Sora decides against his curiosity and retreats into his room. He puts his headphones on and presses play.

 

       The next week Sora tries to open up for his parents' sakes. He leaves his room often and spends some time with his laptop on the couch. Squall doesn't start much conversation aside from small talk. When Rinoa's home she does her best to make sure Sora doesn't need anything. She speaks with him and watches Netflix with him after dinner. The creases at her eyes and the lines on her forehead seem less noticeable those times. Her voice stays even and her words feel positive.

       At the end of each day, Sora feels distant.

       Their voices are echoing from the entrance of the cave and he's just too deep in to properly hear the words. The only thing close enough to hear are his own thoughts. That he's a disappointment. That he's let down everyone important to him chasing after someone who doesn't even know he exists. That maybe it would have been better if he'd just kept his mouth shut and kept his dreams to himself. Then he wouldn’t have lost a friend who'd grown to be a brother to a stupid fight, he wouldn't have made his mom sad, or made his dad take away something of his for the first time. He wouldn't have had to see Kairi's heartbroken look when he left her in the hallway at school. Sora wonders that if he'd just dropped his dreams and the thoughts of Riku that he would just be able to be happy with her.

 

       Three weeks after Sora is released Kairi shows up at his house. She leans a new bike against the rails of the porch. Her face is flushed and she's breathing hard from exertion. Despite being fall, the temperature hasn't cooled down yet. Kairi's hair is longer and tied up into a messy bun. Her shirt, shorts, and socks don't match. She's taller.

"Sora, it really is you." Kairi looks at Sora with wide eyes and stiff shoulders.

       Sora leans against the doorframe with a hand still grasping the handle. He gives a weak smile and forgets how to breathe again. Kairi's presence soothes the smaller cracks in his thoughts. She pulls Sora into a hug. They stand in silence as Kairi keeps her arms wrapped tight around Sora. Sora's hands shake as he closes them over Kairi's shoulders. The film of sweat on Kairi's skin is half dry and clings to Sora.

"I saw Roxas in town and figured you'd be back, too." Kairi pulls a hand back to wipe at her eyes.

"Well, I'm home."

"Can I come in?" Kairi lets Sora go and steps back.

       Sora opens the door further to let Kairi in the house and closes it behind her. Kairi glances about the living room that hasn't changed since she last saw it.

"Mom's at work and Dad went to the store."

"I noticed their cars were gone, but I figured trying couldn't hurt." Kairi drops onto the couch and fans herself with her hand.

"When did you see Roxas?" Sora says his name and the aftertaste is bitter. He joins Kairi on the couch.

       Kairi kicks her shoes off and flexes her toes. Her breathing evens out.

"Yesterday. He seemed less of his usual "I don't care" attitude and more mad. He's changed." Kairi looks at Sora.

       Sora crosses his arms. He grunts.

"Did something happen between you two?" Kairi leans closer.

"Kind of. I don't wanna talk about it."

"Can you at least tell me why you two went to jail? All you said was you were looking for someone."

"His name's Riku." Sora twiddles his thumbs. He nibbles his lower lip.

"Do you know him?"

       It takes a moment for the question to settle in Sora's mind. He glances about, searching the corners of his mind for an answer.

"Not here, not this time." Sora shakes his head.

"Now you're just bring cryptic."

"I've known him in different lives. Just not this one. That's why I'm looking for him. Well, was."

"Sora-"

"Are you gonna call me crazy now?"

"If you keep acting like this you're less of that and more of a danger to yourself. Constantly thinking "I have to find this person" and "It's the only thing to do" is just going to hurt you more than help. Is there any proof that he's even out there?"

"I heard his voice, his name."

"How did you know it was who you're looking for?"

"I feel it. Here." Sora holds his hand over his heart.

       A silence settles over the room. Sora can tell that Kairi is having trouble wrapping her head around his words. Kairi rubs at her forehead before she faces Sora again.

"Sora, this sounds too complicated to hear bits and pieces. Would you mind starting from the beginning?" Kairi doesn't break eye contact.

       Sora starts as far back as he can remember. His first time he had that type of dream. The memories are hazy, and he can't describe much of what he dreamt about. He explains how the tugging feeling grew stronger and how he became isolated. How Roxas was one of his first close friends in a long time. How Kairi acts as a healing force that can keep him from losing his mind.

       It's the most he's spoken in a week and he pours his heart out to Kairi in the best way he can. The dreams that have gone from a reminder that someone is out there for him to a reminder that he's destined to end up alone. The events pile up until he loses track of his words. The sorrow, the anger, the confusion; he bares them all to Kairi. If anything, Sora's grateful that Kairi doesn't comment much. She listens.

       Sora's voice cracks when he ends the story at Roxas walking away. His vision is blurry and he can't breathe fast enough. He's gripping the arm of the couch in one hand and the front of his shirt in the other.

"Sora, you've been keeping most of this to yourself?" Kairi clasps her hand around Sora's and pulls it away from his shirt.

"Not even Roxas really understood. I showed him the journals, but it's different from actually feeling what I feel."

"Roxas is probably just scared. Most people live their lives with the hope that someone out there is right for them but never knowing for sure. It's practically impossible to imagine not only knowing who they are but not being able to live right without them. Hell, I'm even having a hard time understanding this."

"So you do think I'm crazy." Sora doesn't make eye contact. He slouches.

       Kairi grasps Sora's shoulders and looks him in the eyes. "Never." Her voice is quiet. Their noses are touching.

"Kai?"

"Do you have any idea where your dad might be keeping the journals?"

"I think he might be keeping them in his room."

       Kairi pulls away and walks off towards Sora's parents' room. Sora scrambles after her.

"Hey. Hold up!"

"No. Your parents aren't home. I'm going to find your journals. Not having them is hurting you and I'm not going to let this keep happening."

       Sora grabs Kairi's hand. He shakes his head and stares at the ground.

"Please, Kairi. Just wait for when dad feels he can give them back to me on his own. Trust is really important to him. I don't want to break it any more than I already have."

       Kairi grips Sora's hand back. She squeezes his fingers. Her next exhale is heavy.

"Okay. I won't. I just hope you know what you're doing, Sora." Kairi kisses Sora on the cheek. Sora can feels the guarded edges of his mind try to mend.

       Squall returns minutes after. He smiles when he sees Kairi and invites her to stay for dinner. The evening is calm. It breathes new life into Sora's heart.

  

       Kairi leaves after they watch the sunset from Sora's roof. The white lights on her bicycle wheels keep Sora's attention until they're too far away to see.

 

** Part Seven: Enlightenment **

 

       Kairi becomes the center of Sora's life after that. He reopens skype so he can speak with her frequently. Kairi knowing about the dreams makes interactions with her easier. Sora continues to have nightmares, but with Kairi being a phone call away he can cope. He tries to leave the dreams behind him and ignore the empty spot in his heart. It works for the most part.

       Sora doesn't attend college. He helps around the house to get an allowance and pockets the money for later use. Rinoa continues to climb the ladder at her job. The creases at her eyes are smaller and she smiles more.

 

       Five months after Sora's return he feels okay. The pain accumulating from the empty space where Riku should be has been buried by Kairi's presence. He only feels it if he focuses on it.

       Roxas still hasn't been seen. Cloud visits Squall, but Roxas never follows behind.

       Sora and Kairi are at the movies for the first time since he was arrested. They bought the largest popcorn and are sharing a soda. The movie hasn't started yet and Sora's already eating the popcorn.

"I'm so glad they remodeled the theater. The chairs used to be horrible." Sora comments and leans back. The chair doesn't squeak as it adjusts to his weight.

"You remember the time that you sat down and the chair broke before the movie?"

"Yeah! You had to pull me out because the cushions trapped me and- and Roxas was laughing too much to help." Sora's good mood fails him. He stares at the popcorn bag and isn't hungry anymore.

"Hey, Sora. It's okay. I'm sure Roxas will come back around eventually. Even if you two got in a fight it's not like you forced him to do anything. You can't stay mad at each other forever."

"If I know Roxas then he's going to be angry as long as he can. I said some things to him that I shouldn't have. I'm fine though. I've got you here still, right?"

"Yeah. I'm not going anywhere."

       During the movie if Sora holds tight onto Kairi's hand it's because it's a horror movie and jump scares are an easy way to scare him. After the movie, Squall picks them up from the theater.

"Did you enjoy the movie?" Squall asks as they leave the parking lot.

"I would have enjoyed it more in my room during the day with my door locked, the windows shut, and the lights on." Sora tugs at the drawstrings of his hoodie.

"I'm sure what he means to say is we had fun. Thanks for giving us a ride, Mr. Leonhart." Kairi pulls her cellphone from her bra to turn it back on.

"It's no problem. Do you need to be dropped off?"

"If you can. My grandmother needs to get up early tomorrow so she might already be in bed."

       Squall nods in response. He changes directions.

 

       Once Sora and Squall are home, Squall motions with his hand before Sora retreats to his room.

"Wait here." Squall instructs.

       Sora stands in the living room. He checks his phone for the time and isn't surprised to find it past twelve. Squall returns from the parents' room with a box in his hands. He hands it to Sora.

"The first sign of you breaking laws to do anything these are getting taken away again. I hope you understand that." Squall warns.

       Inside the box are the dream journals. They look the same as how they were when Sora gave them up.

"I do. Thanks." Sora grits his teeth. The gap aches as he looks at the journals.

"I can't keep these from you forever. Good night." Squall turns and leaves for his room.

       Sora locks his bedroom door behind him. He sits on the bed and pulls out the journals one by one. He feels a jolt of static under his fingertips with each journal he touches that reminds him of the pain he's been ignoring.

       But it's okay. Because in the end, he still has Kairi.

  

       A week before Summer, Sora's mind cracks beyond the ragged edges it had been before. In the back of his mind now he can only imagine what Riku's voice sounds like but the image of him is still burned into his retinas. He knew that getting the journals back would cause problems. He just didn't expect it to be so bad again.

       That night, he dreams of drowning. A tidal wave towers over him and he can't run from it. It crashes over him. Out of the corner of his eye he sees someone else. There's water in his lungs. He wakes up sweating and muttering Riku's name like it's a lifeline. He doesn't remember seeing anything before of that life. He doesn't call Kairi. He doesn't see it again.

 

       The next day Sora's supposed to be getting ready to see Kairi. She's coming over at two. Instead he's lying on his bed surrounded by the open journals with the empty space in his heart pounding like an empty wound. He can't tell if he's crying or if his portable fan finally kicked the bucket and he hasn’t stopped sweating. His scalp is sore from pulling at his hair. He can't remember what time it was when he last looked at his phone.

       Sora's mind grows hazy. The next thing he remembers is feeling fingers in his hair and opening his eyes to stare up into Kairi's.

"Sora, what happened?"

"Don't know. Guess I fell asleep. When did you get here, Kai?" Sora glances to his clock. He's been asleep for quite some time.

"A few minutes ago. Sora, we have to talk about this. You say you're okay but you look miserable."

       Sora sits up. He rubs at his eyes and his cheeks feel rough. There's crust in his tear ducts. Sora doesn't look at Kairi.

"I just- I had another dream last night. This is the first one I can remember in a while. It was terrifying."

"What happened?"

       Sora pulls his knees to his chest and he feels Kairi place a hand on his shoulder. He takes a deep breath.

"I was on the shore of Destiny Islands. I found the name of that place in my second journal. It seems to show up a lot in them. There was a tidal wave. A big one. I- I wanted to run but no matter how much I fought my body I stayed facing the wave. It hit the shore. Then there was a bright light. That's when I woke up. I still feel like I'm- like I'm drowning." Sora places a hand to his neck. It still feels constricted and it's leaving him light-headed.

"Why didn't you call?"

"It was really late. I didn't want to wake you up. I figured I could handle this one on my own."

"There's no need to feel like you have to handle these on your own. I'm here. I told you that if you needed something, or if you hurt too badly to be okay on your own, that I'd be a phone call or a bike ride away."

"It felt really personal this time. Like bringing someone else into it would make it worse. So I decided to let you sleep." Sora lies. He pushes the hurt down. He swallows it so he can force a smile.

"Bullshit. I know you, Sora. You're just trying to make me feel better. Did the hurt ever really go away like you said it did?"

       Sora's expression falls. Kairi frowns.

"I knew it. You're a real idiot sometimes. You don't have to go through this pain alone."

"The hurt won't ever go away. I just have to live with it because I'm never going to find Riku. I wasn't lying about getting better. At times, I couldn't even feel it there. It just hit me really hard after that dream." Sora clenches his hands.

"How are you so sure it won't go away?"

       Sora pulls the second journal close to him. He flips through the pages and points to a page spread.

"It says that in this life I shared something called a "paopu fruit" with him. Well, that me did."

       Kairi reads the page. "A fruit that binds peoples' destinies? What does this have to do with you?"

"It explains everything. The pull I feel, the fact that every dream I have he's in it. That must be ground zero. The cause of this." Sora taps his finger against the line mentioning sharing the fruit. His nail leaves a dent in the paper.

"There's no such thing as a magic fruit. It's the stuff of fairytales."

"Maybe something like that doesn't exist in this universe, but it exists in others. It's just shitty that its effect found its way into our universe. Into every universe."

"With a tone like that, you sound bitter."

"Of course I'm bitter. I'm suffering because of a reckless decision from another life right before there was a major battle. I have every right to be bitter."

"It's not like they could have known this would happen."

       Sora sneers at the thought. He keeps his gaze on the second journal.

"Them knowing or not doesn't stop me from feeling like I got shafted. There are people out there finding people they want to spend their lives with without ever needing to be pulled towards them by some unwanted force. I could be one of those people, but instead I'm here." Sora's voice cracks." Nightmares of past lives and all." His hands shake when he takes the second journal from Kairi. He closes all of the journals on the bed and stacks them. He needs to get out of the house. Find a good distraction like the mall or a noisy café or running. His feet hitting the ground and the blue sky above his head with sand in his shoes and Riku always in the lead because he has longer legs and runs faster than him-

       Riku.

       This sucks.

"Sora?"

"Huh?"

"You just spaced out."

       Sora's eyes widen. He smiles and shakes his head.

"Ah, sorry. I got caught up in my own thoughts. It's okay."

"As long as you're sure. Want to come over to my house instead? There's a new diner that opened up a block away recently and I've already done reconnaissance. The food's amazing and not harsh on the wallet. My treat."

"Okay."

       Sora changes before he grabs his phone and wallet. It's soothing to stand on the pegs of Kairi's rear bike wheel again. When Sora's legs get tired he tells Kairi and sits on the rear rack. He wraps his arms around her waist and watches the scenery pass by on their way to town.

 

       Kairi convinces Sora to join her at the local fair two weeks later. The fair is noisy but not crowded. It's locals who are familiar background faces and independent vendors that Sora's seen before. The peach farm has a booth. Judging from the line the farm is getting business again.

       About an hour into the outing, Kairi asks Sora to wait for him at a bench while she gets them food.

       While Sora's waiting he spots Roxas. Roxas is with Xion and a man with red hair that looks years older than them. All three of them are holding hands. The black vest Roxas is wearing leaves the scar on his shoulder visible. It's been tattooed over with entwining vines of gray and black with blue flowers growing on them. He has three piercings on one ear and two on the other. Roxas looks more like Cloud than before.

       Roxas passes Sora in silence. Xion gives a wave. She pushes at Roxas. Roxas groans and turns around.

"Sora." Hearing his name from Roxas makes him look up. Roxas walks over and Xion and the man follow. "Maybe you were right. Maybe soul mates really do exist. They're just not how we imagine them."

"Hi, Sora." Xion bites her lower lip.

"Wait, this is Sora?" The man with Roxas and Xion asks.

       Sora glances up to the redhead. He sees black coats, dancing fire, hears desperate cries, feels sorrow pierce his veins, but also hears laughter and sees a battlefield with them together. "You're Axel."

"Have we met before?"

"A few times, actually." Sora gives a weak smile.

       Roxas stares at Sora. He bites his lower lip. He sighs and speaks low. "If you still want to find him-"

"I probably never will. It's okay though. It's not my destiny."

"Let me finish what I was going to say. His full name's Riku Crescent. There's a small town in Virginia called Sunhill. Twelfth East Durest street. I think you'll find who you're looking for there."

"Wait, that's-"

"Yeah, my hometown."

"Did you know?"

"About Riku? Not really. I did hear talk of the Crescent family at some point during school though. Rumors said they were involved in some gang a long time ago. I guess he was homeschooled to avoid the public." Roxas stares at the ground. His shoulders are tense and he's frowning.

       Sora grabs Roxas's hands. He leans over to meet Roxas's gaze.

"Thank you. This means so much to me."

"You're welcome." Roxas steps back from Sora and shrugs.

"Axel, I didn't expect to see you here." Kairi approaches with a plate of chicken strips and fries.

"Hey, sis."

"No way! This is your brother?" Sora exclaims as Kairi hands him the plate of food.

"Uhh, yeah. The college shut in. Guess I forgot to tell you his name." Kairi sits next to Sora on the bench.

"Man, talk about getting the short end of the stick. It's like you never wanted me to meet him. But I'm not college anymore, Kairi. Gran didn't tell you? I graduated a few months ago. Finally got that job I wanted, too."

"I figured. Last time I talked to you there weren't any tattoos on your face."

"Oh, so you like them?" Axel smirks.

"I didn't say anything like that." Kairi retorts.

"Ouch." Roxas mutters.

"Roxas, don't encourage her." Axel ruffles Roxas's hair. Roxas frowns and sidesteps Axel's hand.

"I'm just not surprised, is all. Far be it from me to judge what tattoos you get. Have you inked anyone yet?" Kairi nibbles a chicken strip.

"Me, obviously." Roxas gestures to his shoulder tattoo.

"That's right. Roxas was the first customer I worked with. I did such a good job he asked me out on a date."

"Yeah, that's not how it went." Roxas snorts. "I didn't know what the hell I really wanted aside from something to cover up my scar. I kept showing up at the shop because I couldn't make up my mind. We sort of became friends way before I knew that he was your brother, Kairi. Although I guess I should have figured it out sooner."

       Sora takes note of Roxas's relaxed smile. His open stance. He's keeping eye contact during the conversation. Sora can't help but smile, too.

"Right, because good looks and good personalities run in our family."

"Actually, I noticed your roots were the same color as Kairi's hair."

"Fair enough." Axel shrugs.

       Kairi crosses her arms and stares up. Then she jumps from her seat. "Hey, why don't we spend tonight together? Fairs are always better with a group." Kairi suggests.

"That sounds great. Can we?" Xion puts her hands together. She looks to Axel.

"My opinion isn't law. Ask Rox."

"Roxas?"

"I can't find any valid complaints." Roxas scratches the back of his head.

       Roxas decided to ride the roller coasters with Axel and Kairi until their throats get sore from shouting. Xion and Sora share a funnel cake in silence. They never talked much in high school, but in Sora's opinion sometimes friends don't need to.

       Xion is the first to strike up conversation. She turns in her seat on the bench to look Sora in the eyes. "Even if it didn't work out right for a while with Roxas and I, I don't blame you Sora."

"What brought this up?"

"You looked between him and me earlier and looked sad. I might be quiet but that doesn't mean I'm not paying attention. You feel like you messed up, but you didn't. I love Roxas, I really do, but I can't always offer him the love that he needs. That's okay. This way he gets me and Axel."

"You- and Axel?" Sora's reminded of some of the lifetimes he's seen.

"Yeah. It was a bit weird at first- trying to figure out how it would work. The pieces sort of fell into place after we sat down and talked about it. We're looking for an apartment right now."

"Does Cloud know?"

"He found out on his own. He told us as long as we're safe he's not going to object."

"That's great. I'm glad for you guys."

       A quiet settles over the two. Sora munches on more funnel cake. A roller coaster makes a loop nearby and Sora can hear Kairi's shout. Xion clears her throat.

"What about you? Roxas told me the story. Are you going to go looking for Riku?"

"Maybe, now that I know where he is. I wouldn't dare leave Kai behind. She'd never let me hear the end of it if I up and left without her." Sora draws on the plate with powdered sugar.

"Then why don't you ask her to go with you?"

"To go with me?"

"Duh. You didn’t think about it?"

"She has college-" Sora makes an excuse.

"It won't take forever to go to a destination you already know about. Just think about it."

       Kairi, Axel, and Roxas stumble to the bench Sora and Xion are sitting on; euphoric from adrenaline. Axel trips over Kairi's foot and Roxas catches him by his belt before he hits the ground. They're laughing.

"Watch where you're going, beanpole. These are new sneakers." Kairi giggles.

"Okay miss "I almost was too short to ride the fun coasters." I'll look down now and again."

"Almost too short?" Xion asks.

"Hell yeah! I just passed the mark by this much. Screw them for trying to say I can't go on because I'm "still in middle school" and making me stand against the stick." Kairi uses her thumb and finger to illustrate the one inch that almost kept her from the coaster. "Oh, hey- funnel cake." Kairi takes a strip of the cake from Sora's plate.

       The evening is spent as a group of five rather than two and three. Sora returns home feeling lighter. His eyes glow with the shine of his desk lamp as he copies the information for Riku from his phone onto a notepad.

       He's closer than ever before. His fingertips spark against the first and second journals more than usual when he puts them away.

 

       After that night, Sora dreams about a prank war gone horribly wrong. He only remembers it from waking up at one in the morning and typing fragments of what he remembers on his phone. The note on his phone becomes a rambling mess. He doesn't quite recognize what they mean the morning after he makes the entries. He only knows they belong there.

       It lasts for a month and when he wakes up from the last time he sees it he writes the note _"But they were brave. They were strong."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The stories/universes referenced to in this half are as follows in order:  
> \- Water by the.israel.project107 on fanfiction.net  
> \- Surgeon General's Warning by Dualism aka Dualshine on fanfiction.net
> 
> Kudos and Comments appreciated!


	3. Act Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, fate doesn't always deal the cards wanted. It's through that adversity that the brightest of lights are cultivated.  
> Maybe there is a reason why Sora sees everything. Perhaps he does, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been a long time coming! I had to reign in the plot a little and not go overboard, but I hope I did good enough at conveying what's actually happening here!

** Part Eight: Freedom **

 

       It's the end of July. Sora has spent weeks planning and saving up money for his journey. He still hasn't told Kairi- but it's going to change tonight. Facing the setting sun framed in the orange and yellow of twilight. Kairi has her phone out and is taking photos of the sky. The way the breeze moves her hair, her calm expression, the heat rising from the ground as the night air moves in. It's all too familiar of a home that Sora's never seen. His heart remembers though.

"Kai, can I ask something?"

"Sure. What's bothering you?" Kairi slides her phone back in her bra.

"Not really bothering. It's just- I know where Riku is now. I've been saving up and I'm going to go meet him soon. It's going to be weird and I'm not used to traveling much. I was wondering if you'd go with me?"

       Sora toes at the tiles on the roof. He doesn't look at Kairi.

"To meet your soul mate who's probably been waiting for you, too? Wouldn't miss it for the world. I want to see just what kind of man he is. Y'know, If I don't think he's good enough for you- then I'm stealing you for myself."

"K-kai?"

       Kairi laughs at Sora's startled expression. "Just kidding! If he's your soul mate, I'm sure he'll be perfect for you." She exclaims and grins.

"Unless it's like one of the other lives. What if he doesn't like me? What if he knows about me but doesn't want to see me at all?"

"Don't start getting cold feet when you're so close to the finish line. I don't want to have to drag you the rest of the way. If it goes south then we get the hell out. I'm sure just meeting him will make you feel better. Knowing for sure where you stand will definitely be a lot better than the pile of "what ifs" you've been sitting in. I'm going for sure. When do we leave?"

"When are you free?"

"My classes don't start yet since I picked up mini-terms. We can leave whenever you're ready."

"Next week?"

"Sounds like a deal. No backing out, okay? No matter what happens." Kairi holds out her pinkie.

       It's a childish gesture but it feels like the greatest thing Sora's seen in years. Sora holds out his own pinkie and links it with Kairi's.

"Promise."

       In the light of the sunset, Sora feels weightless.  


       The next day Sora eases into the kitchen for breakfast. Squall looks up from his coffee and nods. Rinoa, not looking away from the waffle maker, greets Sora. Breakfast is calm with small talk until Sora gets up the nerve to speak his mind.

"I'm going on a trip next week."

"A trip? Where are you going?" Rinoa asks.

"I want to travel the states a bit before I try going to college. I feel like I'm missing out on something."

"And you're going alone?" Squall points out.

"No. I've been planning the trip with a friend."

"By "friend" you mean Kairi, right? How am I sure you're not just announcing your elopement?"

"Squall-" Rinoa gasps.

"Elopement? You’ve gotta have more faith in me than that by now, dad. If I was to elope- the whole point is to not announce it and it definitely wouldn't be with Kairi."

"So what's the trip really for?" Squall raises an eyebrow.

       Sora pokes at the waffles with his fork. He takes a bite and watches his parents carefully. Both have their eyes trained on him and swallowing becomes hard.

"Traveling, like I said. We'll be safe. I'll call every day if you want."

"How much money do you have?" Squall sips his coffee.

"A little over five-hundred."

"Is there no way to talk you out of this?" Rinoa's eyebrows are pulled tight against each other.

       Squall sighs. He stares into his coffee and swirls the cup. The sloshing of coffee is enough to keep Sora's attention. Sora taps his finger against the counter.

"My mind's made up."

"Then take the emergency credit card. Only use it if you run out of money. Careful though, if I notice you using it for anything other than necessities you're going to be in big trouble when you get home. Understand?"

"Yes, dad."

"I'm holding you to that promise of calling every day."

"Yes, dad."

"How long will you be gone?"

"Definitely less than three weeks. I promise."

       Squall's frown lets Sora know that he's on thin ice. He ends the conversation while he's not drowning.

 

       The next week Squall drops Sora and Kairi off at the bus station before lunch. It's noisy and busy with people weaving around each other carrying their baggage. The small bus station is almost not big enough to house so many travelers. Squall voices his concern multiple times before giving in to Sora's reassurances. He leaves the parking lot.

       Before it's time to board the bus, Sora's tapped on his shoulder. He turns around to see Roxas and Axel.

"Rox? Axel?" Sora loosens his grip on his luggage.

"Heard you were running off with my baby sister, I came to give you the traditional threats-"

"Axel means to say that we wanted to see you two off. It's not every day you know someone's going to meet their soul mate." Roxas elbows Axel in the side.

"That's really nice of you guys. Where's Xion?" Sora asks. He leans to see if she's hiding behind Roxas and Axel.

"She's got work today. She wanted to be here but couldn't get the day off." Axel checks his phone and sighs.

"Let her know that we said hi since she couldn't come.. And Axel, you know you don't have to threaten anyone for me. I do that myself." Kairi grins.

"Got enough money?"

"We'll be fine. Your baby sister knows how to take care of herself. Between us we should have plenty money to go to Virginia, stay a bit, and come back. It's not like we're running away together."

"If you insist. Just don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Are you trying to get them into trouble?" Roxas interjects.

"No! You really think I'm that irresponsible?"

       Sora and Kairi laugh. Axel huffs and returns to his phone.

"Well at least my phone doesn't think I'm irresponsible. Don't you two have to board? Looks like your bus just got here."

"Ahh hell. That's it. We gotta go, Kai."

"I'll call when I get a chance." Kairi readjusts the weight of her bags.

"Take care of each other. If Sora does something stupid do me a favor and hit him for me. You both have my number right?"

"Yeah, and deal." Kairi and Roxas shake hands.

       Sora and Kairi present their tickets and board the bus. They watch from the window of the bus as Axel, Roxas, and the bus station become lost around the corner of a building.

 

       When the bus stops in Virginia a day later, Sora and Kairi arrange a taxi drive to take them the rest of the way. Kairi stares out at the uneven landscape. Sora prays to every god in existence that there's an open room at the only inn at Sunhill. He calls the inn and it takes a few minutes. Sora holds his breath. When the receptionist confirms there is a room available Sora reserves it for two nights. Once Sora says his last name the receptionist's voice skitters into a quieter volume. Once the reservation is confirmed Sora ends the call and slips his phone back into his pocket.

"You okay, Kai?"

Kairi is slow to react. She turns her head to look at Sora.

"Huh?"

"You okay?"

"Just watching the scenery. I should be asking if you're okay. We're almost there. You aren't nervous?"

"Of course I am! That's why I don't want to go until tomorrow."

"Well it's getting late so today is already out of the question. But not any longer than until tomorrow, okay? If we keep delaying it you're never going to feel ready." Kairi rests a hand on Sora's shoulder.

       They pass the sign for entering Sunhill city limits. It's smaller than the town back home and exudes a more laid back atmosphere. At the base of the Appalachian Mountains the land is uneven, giving the buildings a tiered appearance. It's a town that often passed through but few visitors stay long. Despite his family's roots in Sunhill Sora has never seen it himself before. Sora finds it impossible to grasp how Squall decided to raise him away from there. The town is beautiful. The sun is beginning to set and washes a yellow glow over the area that the mountains break with looming shadows. It brings fragmented images of a coastal town with its own train system and a clock tower that climbs the sky.

       As the taxi navigates the streets, buildings that had been obscured before become easier to see. A handful of buildings that appear to have been left to rot. The concrete is crumbling and there are burn marks along the edges of collapsed walls.

       The taxi pulls up in front of the hotel Sora's thankful that it's cheaper than in Georgia. Sora covers the cost of the ride and helps Kairi carry the luggage into the lobby. He leaves the bags beside a worn couch. The receptionist desk is small with only room to fit an old computer and a few notepads. The woman behind the desk is sitting on a swivel chair and facing away from the computer.

"Hello?" Sora asks.

       The middle-aged receptionist jumps in her seat. Her brunette hair is styled reminiscent of a bob cut that flips out at the sides. She looks over her shoulder. Her cell phone has a video playing of kittens chasing a large dog. She pulls out her earbuds and pulls her chair up to the computer.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't notice you. I hope I haven't kept you waiting." The receptionist fumbles with her phone before shoving it into a drawer. The nametag on her yellow blouse reads "Selphie."

"Oh no it's okay. No problems here. I'm just here to check in. I reserved a room over the phone?"

"Okay. Name?" Selphie tugs at her shirt and wipes the front down. She readies her hands over the keyboard.

"Sora Leonhart."

       Selphie's hands stop typing when Sora says his last name.

"Leonhart?"

"Yeah. Spelled L-e-o-n-"

"Are you related to Squall Leonhart?"  
"Y-yes? I'm his son."

       Selphie stands up and leans towards Sora. Her eyes search him over and Sora is left flustered. Kairi laughs from her seat on the couch.

"You look a bit like him, but I guess you got more of your mother's looks. Softer face, leaner body, stuff like that. How is Squall? Rinoa?"

"They're doing okay. Dad works part time and mom has a full time office job. You knew them?"

"For a few years. They went to high school with me. Was about a year, two? After that that they left. Once they moved I never saw them again. I couldn't blame them, though. It did look pretty bad."

"Did something happen?"

"You don't know? Well- it's not really my place to say. I wasn't involved in what went down to be able to tell it right. I only saw the aftermath like everyone else. Then again, they weren't too involved from what I heard either. Wrong place, right time I guess."

"There was an aftermath?"

"Did you see those buildings on the way in? They weren't always that messed up. Oh, I'm getting off course! Sora Leonhart. Sora Leonhart. Let me just get you signed in right here."

       Sora doesn't have a chance to pull Selphie back into the conversation. Selphie asks Sora for the card, swipes it on a portable reader, and hands it along with the receipt and room key to him.

"I wish I could tell you more. I'm just not really much help for that event in the end. The rumors were all over the place that none of them could really be validated."

"It's fine. I wasn't even aware that something happened anyway." Sora turns to look to Kairi. "Let's get our stuff moved upstairs."

       Selphie returns to her phone as Sora and Kairi find their room. The décor is the same as every other small inn that Sora had seen in his life, which isn't really many at all. Two beds sit on one end of the room and the other has a small tv, desk, and a mini fridge. There's a night stand with a phone that's at least four years old. The bathroom is completely white except for the metal fixtures. Kairi sets her bags down. She sighs and collapses onto the bed by the window.

"Cleaner than other inns I've been to. I won't mind staying here. Is there free breakfast?" Kairi asks.

"I don't think so. I saw a cafe on the way here though. It's in walking distance."

"I'm always up for trying a new place. As long as they have good coffee I can't complain."

       When Sora lies in bed he finds it hard to sleep when the mattress feels so empty.

       He drifts off after hours of wondering what could happen.

 

       The morning light is as vibrant as but less forgiving than the sunset. The walk to the café is short. The slope to the café is not. Sora has to point his feet at times to make sure his shoes are enough on the ground so he doesn't trip. Breakfast isn't cheap but tastes good and leaves Sora satisfied.

       Once the afternoon has arrived Sora and Kairi navigate the streets to the address Roxas gave. The house is small with a maintained flower bed and a short wooden fence. Sora compares the house number on the mailbox with the number in the address. Not too far away, a group of people are walking in their direction.

"This is it."  
"And this is where I'll wait. You can do this. Just remember to breathe and you'll be fine." Kairi squeezes Sora's hand and lets go.

       Sora takes a deep breath. He approaches the door and something doesn't feel right. He knocks on the aged wood and prays that someone is home.

       Why is it that Riku is on the other side of the door but he still feels so empty?

       The door is answered by a young woman with blonde hair swept over one shoulder and held with a rubber band. Her apron has paint stains on it and there are flecks of paint on her face. Behind her in the hallway are piles of boxes both empty and open. She feels familiar. Well-loved books with volumes of colors and worn pencils. It meshes with a school field trip. That can't be right. Has Sora met her here, too?

"Yes?"

"Hi, umm. My name's Sora. I was wondering if Riku Crescent is home?"

"Riku- Crescent?"

"Yes."

"Oh! That must have been someone who lived here before. I'm sorry, we moved in recently."

"Do you know where the family who lived here before moved to?"

"Not a clue. We purchased through a realtor and never met the previous owners. I don't think my mom kept the realtor's business card or I'd give it to you so you could give him a call. Then again he'd probably not know either."

"Ah, I'm sorry for bothering you."

"Not a bother at all. I'm still waiting for a layer to dry so I can't work just yet. Is there anything else? Would you like to come in for a drink? Your friend is welcome to come in too."

"No, I sort of have to be somewhere. Thanks for the offer though. Have a good day."

       The woman tells him to have a good day and closes the door. Sora turns in time to watch Kairi hide the sadness on her face. Sora wipes at the edges of his eyes because even if he's forgetting how to breathe again his eyes still know what tears feel like. Sora walks off the porch. He approaches Kairi with his hands in his pockets.

"Sora-"

"Maybe I'm just not meant to find him."

"Don't start saying that."

       Sora rubs at his face. He feels like he's going to start sobbing. He can't. Not out here. Not in the open where everyone can hear but only one person will care.

"Are you okay?" A girl with brunette hair cut short on the back and long on the sides walks up. Her hair curls over her shoulders and her bangs are clipped back with a butterfly clip. She has on a long orange shirt with capris. Sora's hit with the smell of salty ice cream and the warmth of compassion.

       Sora wipes his eyes on his sleeve and smiles at her.

"You look like you've just has the worst day of your life." The blond man with her crosses his arms. His hair is gelled back. His camo pants have a rip in one leg and his tank top has frayed edges.

"Do you need any help? You're new here, right?" The stockier man of the group asks. His black hair is stuffed into compliance with a headband. He's wearing a red t-shirt and black jeans. His stocky body accentuates his steps when he walks.

"We came here looking for someone. I guess he moved before we had time to make it up here."

"You were looking for the Crescent brat?" The blond man snarks.

"Hayner! That's no way to act. They must have come a long way. I'm sorry about that. Hayner can be a little insensitive at times. I'm Olette, and this is Pence."

"Oh, you were Roxas's friends! Nice to meet you."

"You know Roxas? How's he been? He dropped off of the planet after he moved."

"His dad is friends with mine. It's- a long story. He's okay though. Do you know why the family moved?"

"I heard the Crescents moved because they couldn't handle living here anymore. I'm surprised they stayed here this long." The shorter man said.

"Couldn't handle living here?"

"Yeah. Quite a long time back, before us even, I heard a war happened here. Not big enough to gain a lot of ground in the media, but big enough to make waves here. Apparently a drug cartel had an outpost here and a bunch of high schoolers and a cranky old car mechanic took them down. The Crescents were said to have been a part of it- but no one could ever prove anything."

       Sora focuses on the conversation. He feels the tears subside as concern creeps over him.

"Do you know anything else about who was involved? Like the names of the high schoolers?"

"Sure! There was never full confirmation on all of them. But I know that Yuffie, Tifa, Cloud, and Squall were the names of the confirmed teenagers. The others are still a mystery to this day aside from- from those who didn't make it."

"People died?"

"I did call it a war. There's a memorial plaque dedicated to them on main street if you want to check it out. I heard it would have gotten nastier had they not stepped in."

       Sora's shoulders are stiff. He understands why he'd overheard Cloud and Squall say what they did. His eyes feel sore and his nose is running still.

"How are you feeling?" Oette asks. She leans closer to get a better view of Sora's face.

"Not too good. I guess I just need a little time to compose myself." Sora turns his head.

"I'm sure you'll be able to track down where they went. If you came all this way looking for him then there's no reason to turn back around for one setback." Olette reassures. It helps Sora feel a bit lighter.

"Need I remind you two that we're going to be late? My dad will blow a fuse if we're late. Again." Hayner taps his foot against the ground He shoves his hands in his pockets.

"All right, we'll go. Take some time to clear your head, okay? I'm sure you'll be able to find them." Olette clasps her hands together.

"Thanks."

       Hayner leads Pence and Olette away. Sora wipes at his face and hides his eyes in the rim of his hood. Kairi places a hand on his shoulder.

"Do you want to head back to the inn?"

"Not yet. I- I want to go see that plaque before we return. I think it might have something to do with Cloud."

       Kairi obliges Sora's request.

 

       They walk to the town square. Unassuming by its size, the square is more of a circular pedestrian area with benches and a four-sided clock tower in the center. There are signs of damage to the concrete and a metal plaque is fixed to the side of the tower that's the least damaged. Sora stares up at the clock tower. It's shorter than a one story building and the shadow casted by it barely reaches Sora's feet. The shape of the tower feels familiar.

"Hey, is this it?" Kairi asks. Sora approaches the plaque.

       It's the color of aged brass, and has the sentence "In honor of Zack Fair and Aerith Gainsborough, who gave their lives to protect the safety of Sunhill and its citizens" on it.

"I think I remember hearing Roxas say the name Zack once. Maybe I'll ask Roxas about it when we go home." Sora mutters. He retreats from the tower and retraces his steps towards the inn.

"Sora, wait for me!" Kairi shouts behind him. She sprints to catch up.

"What the hell happened here? It's like- like I don't even really know my dad anymore. A war? Why did I never know about this?"

"He probably has his own reasons for not talking about it."

"I overheard Dad and Cloud talking about gang violence once. They never made it sound like it was to stop anything."

"You were eavesdropping? Okay, I expected it from you. You really can't take what they say to each other at face value though. I doubt they would share details with each other that they both already know."

       Sora shakes his head. He stares at the ground.

"I don't think Dad knows everything. When they talked he made it sound like he wasn't there from the start."

"So then maybe we can find answers while we're here?"

"I don't want to stay here any longer than tonight. I don't want to be here. He's gone already."

"So we're heading home empty-handed."

"I guess so."

       Sora stares up the slope towards the inn. He shoves his hands in his pockets and keeps walking.

 

       He's running. He keeps trying to run faster and can't manage more than a snail's pace. It feels like he's floating more than putting his feet on the ground. This isn't how they usually go. The dreams have a sense of reality grounded in a linear structure. There's no concept of time or space. It's emptiness. A path in a gray landscape. Riku's ahead of him. He feels so far away. Sora wants to shout but as he opens his mouth his throat burns and he can't speak. Riku's too far. Sora reaches out a gloved hand and tries to call again. The shout is a pitiful creak of his voice and it only manages to convince Riku to slow down. Sora manages to approach him. He reaches out his hand again and touches Riku's shoulder. Riku turns to face him. His eyes are yellow rather than aqua and his lips are pressed thin in disgust. The area grows dark.

"You really thought you could keep trying to reset the worlds without consequence?" A soundless voice asks. "Riku never expected the path to victory to be so futile. He never wanted to bind himself to you like that. He just couldn’t stand the thought of ever telling you no again. He couldn't stand the thought of being alone, so he let you do what you wanted."

"No!" Sora shouts at the voice, startled.

The Riku with yellow eyes snatches his hand at Sora's throat.

"Here you are, as expected. Soon, be it your choice or not, your soul will submit. You couldn't play hide and seek in the strings of the universe forever. I was bound to find you one day." The voice has a sound now. A young man. It's not Riku. The yellow eyes are the same as before but the face is different. His nose is pointier and his eyes are narrower. His chin has a sharper angle.

       In the distance, Sora hears a noise that sparks in his mind of a keyblade being called forth. There's muffled voices that overlap each other. His vision swims as his breathing is hindered by fingers digging into his neck.

"Sora! Get up!" The shout snaps Sora's attention back. It's him.

       But-

       He isn't there anymore- He isn't-

 

       At two in the morning Sora jerks awake. He's sweating and his hair sticks to the edges of his forehead and cheeks. His whole body shakes as he reigns in his emotions from his nightmare. Sora sobs. It's loud and broken. He tugs his blankets up close to him.

"Sora?" Kairi shuffles out of her own bed. She rubs at her eyes and is by Sora's side as soon as Sora's second sob starts. No amount of back rubs calm Sora down. His breathing is uneven and too shallow to get enough oxygen. There's the faint noise of a cell phone dialing a number.

"Kairi?"

       Over Sora's sobbing he hears Kairi explain what happened.

"Give me a sec." On the other side of the call there's groaning, shifting sheets, and then computer keys.

       Sora clutches the pillow on the bed close to him as his sobs ebb away. His peripheral registers Kairi grabbing the inn supplied notepad and pen.

"Looks like he moved to California last week. 230 Whitehorn Drive, Destino. If I get arrested again you're bailing me out."

"You make it sound like we're made of money."

"I don't give ten fucks. I've got a lot more on the line now."

"Okay, as you wish, master."

       Roxas chokes on the other side of the call. He mutters a goodnight and hangs up. Kairi puts her cell on the desk with the notepad. She slides onto the mattress beside Sora and stares at the same wall that Sora fixes his gaze on. They sit in silence save for the sound of Sora settling his breathing.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kairi asks after waiting a few minutes.

"What if he's not there, either?"

"We both know that's not what I meant."

       Sora stays silent for longer.

"Tonight was different."

"A new universe?"

"No. Like, really different. I don't know if it was just a nightmare or I was seeing something that's happening right now. It didn't have any real point in time, I guess? It was scary."

"Well whatever it was that you saw, you're not there, okay?" Kairi wraps her arms over Sora and cradles him against her. He leans back and sighs.

       They spend the night with Sora wrapped in Kairi's grasp, holding back the darkness and reminding Sora that he can breathe.

 

       The next day Sora books bus tickets for their trip across the states. Kairi offers to pay for the taxi back to the bus station and Sora doesn't complain. He looks at the remnants of his savings and prays.

       The bus ride will take them a few days. He has time to prepare himself and wonder what he would say. Unlike the other dreams the one he had he night before is still fresh in his mind. It hasn't faded and the more he thinks about it the more he feels pressure on his neck. Like those hands were actually there. Like the hands of that man had actually been clasped around his throat and stopping his breaths.

       He wonders if that's what's been making him forget to breathe.

 

       The taxi leaves the bright town with the dark past behind. Sora makes a note to see if he can learn more about it later. He types a text out to his dad but deletes it. He repeats the motion until after the fifth time Kairi puts her hand over his phone screen.

"Don't." Kairi warns. Her grasp on Sora's hand is gentle.

       Sora deletes the text and puts his phone away.

"I'm getting antsy."

"We'll be there before you know it."

"That'll only make me notice time passing more."

"Then just listen to some music when we get on the bus. Sleep. If I start seeing that you're having another nightmare I'll wake up before it gets bad."

"What if you can't wake me up?"

"I'll always wake you up."

       Sora hopes that Kairi is right.

 

       The dreams return to normal during the bus ride. He sees the places from his first dream. It's different. The two best friends are there but all of their roles are different. He feels darkness between his fingers. He makes mistakes that Riku had made before. He becomes the one manipulated.

       When he wakes up, he can't remember any of the dream.

       He watches the world pass by from the window.

 

** Part Nine: Eternity **

 

       The closest motel to Destino is in the next town over, so Kairi convinces Sora to rest and collect his thoughts. They rest over the evening and watch TV to pass time until they're tired.

"Tomorrow. Okay?" Kairi confirms.

"Tomorrow. No chickening out this time. He's so close. I'm almost there to him."

       They fall asleep curled around each other on the queen sized bed.

 

       The battleground is torn to shreds. The ground mulched up from magic and people getting thrown. Sora's friends, all his team mates, lie around in various stages of injured. None dead, thank goodness. But all unconscious. Except for Riku from what he sees. He's locking keyblades with an old man with a black and white blade. Xehanort. That's his name. Sora's on his knees in a ditch. Riku's still fighting. His blade gets tossed aside and he resummons it.

       Someone grabs Sora from behind and pulls him up.

"Looks like there's one loser I missed." The voice sounds similar to his own. The only difference is the aggression that spills from it.

       Sora's tossed aside like a piece of laundry. His bruised body skids over the ridge of the ditch. He looks in the direction of his attacker. Clad in a skin tight outfit made from the darkness, the curve of its smooth helmet seeps back to show this enemy's face.

"Everyone else has already given up. What makes you three so special?" It's himself? No. Black hair, golden eyes. This isn't him.

       Sora hears multiple blades clash and glances to Riku. Kairi has her keyblade beside Riku's to hold back an attack. She has a gash on her arm, but she's still fighting. She's still awake.

"Because even if you beat us down we'll still come back stronger than before." Sora promises.

       The doppelganger laughs. It's a cracked and broken laugh. Once that you'd expect to hear from a toy with a speaker whose batteries are dying.

"We've gone through this battle so many times now, you won't learn? Just give in."

"No!" Sora draws his hands out and his keyblade comes to him.

"If you go to him, you know you'll find yourself right back here at the end, right? Stay away from him. Live in ignorance. The closer you get to your answer the more your heart will reconnect. The closer we'll get to forging the X-blade. I thought you didn't want that?" Vanitas, he said his name was, points to Riku.

"This time's different. We'll be strong enough together to kick your ass. All of your asses. Without you getting the X-blade I'm done running. I know what I've been ignoring all this time."

"That you don't have a backbone?" Vanitas sneers. He tilts his head up and glares down at Sora.

"That no matter how many times this resets, where we end up- we'll still end up together. Paopu fruit or not, it's destiny that we're here. It may be unavoidable that we'll meet, but it's changeable as to how we meet. This battlefield has never been the same way twice, because through all of this time manipulation you can't for the life of any of you guarantee a flawless win every time!" Sora raises his keyblade in the air and lighting strike down on Vanitas. He takes the opening to rush towards Xehanort.

       Sora hears Vanitas shout behind him. Orbs of black flame shoot past and curve back to him. Sora waits until they're almost on him before diving down. The orbs collide against each other in the air. Sora pushes himself up and continues to near Riku and Kairi.

"Riku!" Sora shouts.

       Riku leaps out of the way of Xehanort's blade. He reaches out towards Sora and Sora returns the gesture. Their light and darkness emanate between their hands and the image of a blade begins to form. Just as colors fade into view-

 

       Sora wakes up with the morning light in his face. His heart is racing and his skin is sweaty. He's not scared. He's not shaking.

       He doesn't need to remind himself to breathe.

"Are you okay?" Kairi asks from the desk. She has the motel notepad and pen. She's doodling.

"Yeah. I feel a little pumped, I guess."  
"Another dream?"

"I'm not even sure if that was a dream anymore."

"You don't sound sure if that's a good thing or not."

"Well, it's not bad."

       Sora gazes at Kairi. Her hair isn't brushed and she's still in her pajamas.

"So then I'll count it as a good thing."

       Kairi smiles, and Sora knows that they're doing the right thing.

 

       Destino is a small town not that different from his hometown in terms of laid back. It's waterside with a small public beach. Sora and Kairi follow the phone GPS to the location. The house is tiny with a small porch decorated with seashells, seaglass, and driftwood. The white mailbox is in pristine condition.

       When he knocks, no one answers.

"I guess no one's home." Sora sits on the sidewalk in front of the house. His bag is heavy and his feet hurt. Kairi sits beside him.

"He has to come home sometime."

"And wonder what two strangers are doing waiting for him? It's not like we can treat him like an old friend."

"Treat who like an old friend?" A voice asks. The thoughts and memories of the other lives fall away one by one. Sora looks up to see a young man with silver hair. He has a paper grocery bag in his hand.

"Riku." The name leaves Sora's mouth.

       Impulse takes a hold of him. His backpack hits the floor and his knees feel like rubber as he stands up. Sora takes Riku's free hand in his own. The memories and emotions that fell away condense and flow through his hands. They don't hurt. Or leave him with an ache he can't chase away.

       He feels unafraid. Not alone. Anything negative he had felt before leaves at the warmth of Riku's hand.

"Sora." Riku breathes. Like it's the first time that he's said it. Almost as if he fears it's his last. He sets the grocery bag down and wraps his arms around Sora. "You're here."

"Yeah. Wait, you remember?"

"Yes. I do."

       Sora grasps Riku's back and cries. He falls to his knees and Riku lowers with him. Riku pulls his fingers through Sora's hair.

"I could never find you. I kept waiting-"

"I couldn't leave to find you. I have to stay with my mom. She needs me, too." Riku murmurs against Sora's shoulder. Sora's sleeve feels wet.

"And you said on the bus ride that you were afraid he'd turn you away." Kairi comments.

"I was, idiot." Sora wipes at his eyes with his sleeve.

"Who said you could stand all the way back there?" Riku picks his head off of Sora's shoulder.

       Sora glances back to look at Kairi. Her hands are in her pockets and her eyes are wide.

"But- I don't remember. I'm not- I'm not like you two." Her eyes are glassy.

"Remember or not, you're still Kairi. Get over here."

       Kairi slinks over and kneels down beside Sora and Riku. Riku wraps an arm over her and pulls her into the embrace. He kisses both Sora and Kairi's foreheads.

       Sora feels any scars left from the past lives fade. He feels light. Like he is the light.

Like he'll be ready.

 

       Decades later, Sora is in bed in his and Riku's house. The town in Georgia that Sora lives in is small but near a larger city. There's a small peach farm close by and Kairi's house is less than thirty minutes away. Roxas lives farther but still visits.

 

       The glowing solidifies under Riku and Sora's grip. The blade that appears has blended strands of white, black, blue, and red. The hilt is golden and is adorned with heart motifs. Kairi raises her keyblade into the air and a pink glow washes the area.

"Now!" Kairi shouts.

"You can't have the X-blade, because it was never yours to begin with!" Sora shouts.

       With the X-blade in hand, Riku and Sora land the final blow.

The world goes white.

 

**_Same destinies._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final AU that is featured in here is the Archetwist AU by Dakt37 on tumblr. The universe itself has a tumblr at the url archetwistau.
> 
> I really hope you enjoyed the journey that had been me writing a fic because it wouldn't leave me alone! I was never really expecting many as people to be interested in it as I've seen!  
> If you enjoyed it I'd love it if you left kudos <3


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